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JRPG's for a beginner?

vocab said:
Isn't there an easy mode for devil survivor? It's kinda the weakest entry in the series, but I don't see how the first boss can be a problem. If you have access to fusion at that part of the game you can easily create something that would stomp the first boss.
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You mean the other SMT games are even more difficult? Oh man, I really want to get lost in the atmosphere of these games but they are too much for me.
And since this was my first turn-based and first jrpg I am totally scared of trying another one. Shame
 
I agree with the recommendation of the Ys series. Oath in Felghana (or Origin if PC is an option) is relatively light on story and heavy on action. It's simple and straightforward, but still challenging and fun. Seven and Memories of Celceta are also decent options, but they are a lot more story driven.

I also agree that big series like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest are good options, they are designed to be accessible. Recommendations for specific games in those series are here and there, it is all down to preference really. Anything from the SNES games and onward could be considered an acceptable place to start.

Also worth noting that I'm kind of like the OP, I don't really care for anime much. Despite that you can still get a lot of enjoyment out of a number of these games. Final Fantasy V, for example, is a pretty "gameplay-centric" RPG with a really fun job/class system that takes the spotlight away from the less-epic-than-usual story.
 
Just play Persona 4: Golden. I was never a fan of japanese otaku stuff but the latest Persona games manage to be some of my favorites games anyway. There is something about them that actually makes me enjoy the quirkyness and they are a good point to ease you into all that anime fuzz.

If you want a Action RPG, get Ys: Memories of Celceta.
 
LostAtLife said:
You mean the other SMT games are even more difficult? Oh man, I really want to get lost in the atmosphere of these games but they are too much for me.
And since this was my first turn-based and first jrpg I am totally scared of trying another one. Shame
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You just need to understand the systems. Cover your weaknesses, have a good team with some backups. Think about what makes the team work outside of battle and your fine. If you can come up with a strategy to fight a boss and it doesn't work out, you just change the strategy. The easiest smt game is the first raidou game on ps2. Very easy, but its very different from all the other ones. Fusion mastery is not required. You get demons easier, and there is still weaknesses. Digital devil saga is more traditional, but still offers a moderate challenge. There is no fusion system period and closer to ffx. Check those two out if you want something lighter to ease you in. Raidou eases you in to the fusion system pretty well. DDS will ease you into the press turn system.
 
My two suggestions would be Arc the Lad or Grandia II. Both I enjoyed very much and they seem like good beginner games. Both have somewhat nontraditional RPG combat styles with Arc the Lad being close to an SRPG similar to Fire Emblem at times. Whiel Grandia II has one of the best turn based 3D combat systems for it's time.
 
LostAtLife said:
You mean the other SMT games are even more difficult? Oh man, I really want to get lost in the atmosphere of these games but they are too much for me.
And since this was my first turn-based and first jrpg I am totally scared of trying another one. Shame
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Persona 4's probably the best introduction into SMT, even though it isn't really SMT, and should ease you into a relatively similar system to the main SMT games.

I remember playing Nocturne and giving up because I was completely overwhelmed. Went back after beating Persona 4 and found it a more manageable experience.
 
persona 4 is a weird recommendation for first jrpg O.o

dating sim + tons of systems that are bullshit without a guide like subquests and high level fusion. Can you even beat pixel king without black frost or some secret strategy im not familiar with?
 
LostAtLife said:
You mean the other SMT games are even more difficult? Oh man, I really want to get lost in the atmosphere of these games but they are too much for me.
And since this was my first turn-based and first jrpg I am totally scared of trying another one. Shame
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You chose a BAD first jrpg and first turn based game

Try the GBA Golden Sun games, either of the first Paper Marios or 1st/3rd MArio&Luigi, or even Pokemon
 
I don't like anime or JRPG's. Loved Persona 4 Golden. Finished it at about 115 hours, making it the only non-Pokemon JRPG I've ever finished. It also motivated me to check out other SMT games that I would've otherwise ignored, and I've enjoyed those as well.
 
FF X|X-2 Remaster on Vita would be a great choice.

FFX was my introduction to JRPG's, and I can vouch for the remaster on Vita being fantastic with the updated visuals. It eases you into the mechanics--which are very straightforward, uncomplicated, and fun--, and aside from a few tough fights towards the end (which aren't even that bad as Summons you get in the game can essentially be used to beat anything), all the super hard stuff is in the optional content.

It's linear so you don't have to worry about getting lost, or not knowing what to do, and there is little to no grinding so you just fight the random battles in between each story section without running away and you will have to do almost no extra leveling up to beat any of the story bosses.

Plus, its a great game.
 
To be honest try Final Fantasy Mystic Quest if you can. It's super easy and fast paced. Teaches you about the basic mechanics that are used in any other RPG/Final Fantasy. Or Super Mario RPG! But these are both for SNES so it may be hard for you.

Try something like Kingdom Hearts 1.5 (on beginner) if you want something more action heavy, or if you can try EarthBound (SNES) if you want a great atmosphere/story with your RPG.

Try to stay away from Persona until you have played something more mainstream (Final Fantasy, Golden Sun, Mario & Luigi, etc.) since I find the mechanics a little hard and different from your standard RPG.
 
Whats up with all of the people recommending Persona 4? That game might be rpg overload upwards of 70hrs. How about Chrono Trigger on Grandia? I feel thats a better introduction then Persona. If you find you like rpgs, grab a DS, some of the best rpgs out there.
 
I'm not sure I would recommend a Persona game. They tend to be a more more challenging and, more importantly, complicated than average. Stuff like demon fusion is a bit trickier to get a handle on than just leveling up. Stuff like "once more" and getting Game Overs if the protagonist dies can mess up people who are not used to the basics.

It is hard to think of really good entry level RPGs without going back to the classics. In order to satisfy their audience, JRPGs have grown ever more complex, with ever more arcane sub-systems. On the other hand, you can never go wrong with games like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy 6. They are beloved for a reason, but they are generally very easy games without modern complexity. They should be available on PSN, if I recall correctly, albeit not the best versions.

If you want a good action RPG though, you can try an Ys game, such as Ys Seven for the PSP or Ys: Memories of Celceta for Vita. They can be tricky, but are fun.
 
vocab said:
Ys Oath in felgana.

Fun boss fights.
Not too easy or not too hard. There's difficulty options.
Bitching music.
No grinding.
Straight forward story.
No stupid characters.

I think Persona 4 is a bit long for a beginner rpg. Oath is 15 hours max. It doesn't overstay it welcome. You'll enjoy it. Then you can play 7 and Celceta if you want more Ys!

I can't recommend a long rpg for someone getting into it. Get a short but quality title under your belt, and then go from there.

Chrono Trigger is my favorite game ever, but I don't think I can recommend the psn version.
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This is where this stuff gets out of hand.

Assuming 5 seconds of extra a battle and 5 extra a menu, and 1000x of each a game (high end) it's a bit over 2.5 hours added to the game. Doesn't ruin it by any means.

The slowdown also doesn't matter - it's a JRPG.
 
dante81 said:
He's a beginner, though, and VIII is pretty tough.
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It's funny how Dragon Quest games have this stigma in the west for being difficult or grind-heavy, whereas they are marketed as beginner RPGs in Japan. And they really are very simple games.
 
Persona 4 is a good game with a good story/cast/gameplay/soundtrack, but it's unlike every other RPG out there. So just keep in mind that if you like P4, you may not like other RPGs for the same reason. Conversely, some stuff you might dislike in P4 won't be found in other RPGs as well.

If you want an action RPG, definitely try the Tales series. It's more traditional than Persona. It can be tropey at times but lots of people find the characters and story in certain games to be enjoyable. Try Tales of Xillia, or Tales of Symphonia Chronicles if you don't mind a more dated RPG.

dante81 said:
He's a beginner, though, and VIII is pretty tough.
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DQ VIII is easy. Tension makes quick work of bosses and regular enemies aren't too bad either.

Also requires zero grinding outside of the post game maybe.
 
P4G is great, but there's a lot of systems at work there. I think FFX is the better recommendation for this.

Aeana said:
It's funny how Dragon Quest games have this stigma in the west for being difficult or grind-heavy, whereas they are marketed as beginner RPGs in Japan. And they really are very simple games.
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Yeah, DQ is pretty simplistic. The only one I've really played is VIII though and it did seem like a grindfest. Not sure I'd recommend that to someone with limited time.
 
Mystic_Wanderer said:
This is where this stuff gets out of hand.

Assuming 5 seconds of extra a battle and 5 extra a menu, and 1000x of each a game (high end) it's a bit over 2.5 hours added to the game. Doesn't ruin it by any means.

The slowdown also doesn't matter - it's a JRPG.
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Well, I played it on the ps1 proper so maybe the ps3/vita hardware can ease the pain a bit. The load times were very noticeable to me, and the game was extremely buggy. I had a corrupted save twice, and I returned my game to get another copy because I thought the game was fucked up. Getting into battles where the battle music is already 20 seconds in before the battle starts is ridiculous. Also, The extreme slowdown during one of the lavos's fight is just not what I call a fun time.
 
Inorigo said:
Yeah, DQ is pretty simplistic. The only one I've really played is VIII though and it did seem like a grindfest. Not sure I'd recommend that to someone with limited time.
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It's only a grindfest for people who don't try to use their abilities, items, equipment (equipment often has special effects when used in battle!), and monster parties rather than spamming attack. In that respect, Final Fantasy is more beginner-friendly, because you can just press attack for a lot of content.

The fact that DQ8 has been beaten with a low level party, and as solo hero, shows that it isn't as difficult as people make it out to be.
 
without a doubt i would recommend final fantasy X. Play it on your vita... And remember how jealous i am. Lol

or if you wanna get real basic you can do no better than final fantasy .. The very first one. Amazing game. Replayed it on gba recently and its so good. Amazing little game.
 
I am replaying Chrono Trigger at the moment and it is piss easy. I haven't played it since my original play through and it is baby mode so far. I think it would be a pretty good candidate to start with. It is still holding up very well outside of the difficulty so it would be an excellent game to start with.
 
You could go for the FFX/X-2 Remaster. FFX is easy to get into with it's turn-based battle system and the ability to switch characters on the fly. The sphere grid may not be the traditional leveling up system in JRPGs, but it's very easy to get into. The story is pretty good and the characters are decent. X-2 has the classic ATB Battle System.

You could get Persona 3 & 4 via PSN. Both are great games but it might be a little overwhelming since you'll have to develop social links, boost stats, and then juggle how you are going to use your days/nights/rainy days, whether it is to build stats or to fight in dungeons/Tartarus. Learning buffs, debuffs, and weaknesses are essential in Shin Megami Tensei games. Although it may be challenging at first, these games bring some of the most rewarding experiences ever. Who knows, you might check out Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne which is one of the best games ever.

For the action-based RPGs, try the Tales series. You could check out Tales of Symphonia for PS3, Tales of Abyss for the PS2, and Tales of Xillia for the PS3. These games are pretty straightforward. Tales of Xillia 2 has been announced in the West, so that's something to look forward to as well.

I would say: Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster (PS3), P3/P4 (PSN), and Tales Series (PS2/PS3).

Not too sure on Vita, but you can't go wrong with Persona 4 Golden.
 
Zhao_Yun said:
TWEWY is a fantastic game but I don't think that it's a good introduction to the genre because it's probably the only one of its kind out there.
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Good to know. I just picked it up for my new 2DS but I guess I should play Chrono Trigger and/or Bravely Default first
 
Benzychenz said:
OP says he doesn't watch anime, doesn't like anime art, and would only put up with it for a good story and characters, and you recommend Tales? C'mon son.
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Better than recommending TWEWY that's for sure.

Also since Cudder wants Persona 4, I think it's safe to say he might find the Tales series enjoyable
 
If you dont mind old school, is recommended The Legend of Dragoon. PSone classic. Play it on the vita though, since the input lag the ps3 adds to classics might make battles tough. It has something called the addition system, basically a qte to deal extra damage as a combo. Look it up first, of course
 
This is a bit of a tough question to answer OP. While alot of JRPGs do have a turn battle system, most of them have a unique mechanic to keep the game from being the same as the others, in short, there isn't really a game that is going to show you how to play all the others.

Although you did ask, so i would go with Persona, Final Fantasy (1 though 10) or Chrono Trigger.
 
Aeana said:
It's only a grindfest for people who don't try to use their abilities, items, equipment (equipment often has special effects when used in battle!), and monster parties rather than spamming attack. In that respect, Final Fantasy is more beginner-friendly, because you can just press attack for a lot of content.

The fact that DQ8 has been beaten with a low level party, and as solo hero, shows that it isn't as difficult as people make it out to be.
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I would recommend against DQ8 for two reasons: 1) the very beginning of the game is unusually hard compared to many other RPGs, particularly other Dragon Quest games. I died to the first boss in the cave on my first try, and I was no amateur RPG player at that point. The boss on the ship can also be a surprisingly tough road block. If you are used to RPGs and know how to use your abilities and resources well, it is a great game, but for a true beginner, I think the start can be hard.

2) It is really easy to ruin your party if you don't know what you are doing with your ability point distribution, and there is no way to fix it without restarting the game. It takes a certain degree of forewarning to how many points you will actually get and what the benefits of the various skill trees are to really enjoy the system, I think. In comparison, Dragon Quest IX is more beginner friendly, I believe.
 
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

It's not necessarily a traditional JRPG, but it's a beginner-friendly RPG that's light on the plot, has intuitive mechanics and is all around fun. The game comes from Japan so it's technically a JRPG.

Edit: Darn, no gamecube. I recommend Dragon Quest VIII for the PS2 or Ni No Kuni for the PS3.
 
Like the people who are posting more recently in this thread, I'd say go with a "classic" before you go for something like Persona 4. I enjoyed P4 a lot, but the fusion and one more stuff+time management may be a little daunting for a newb to JRPGs, plus it's definitely a more anime choice than most.

Chrono Trigger really is a safe choice for first RPGs. It's shorter than many others, it's easy enough (but not TOO easy especially for a first game, I think it would be a bit of a disservice for your first game in a genre to not give you a little resistance), and the systems that the game presents are easy to understand. Plus it's a solid game in its own right.

For Final Fantasy, IV-X work well, although perhaps not V or VIII (V possibly being too tough, and VIII possibly being too convoluted). I'd personally say IV, IX, or if you want something more modern, X.

Dragon Quest games make wonderful choices because they're uncomplicated, has just the right amount of difficulty to be approachable to many, but are still VERY charming and gives you that feeling of adventure that people often really love about the genre. Unfortunately, with the systems that you've listed, your options are limited, but Dragon Quest 8 is not a bad choice at all. The world in the game is gorgeous and refreshing even today, and the party members, and characters you meet are fun. Like most Dragon Quest games, the story is uncomplicated, but it's more about the things you see along the way instead of the journey itself.

EDIT: Having said that:

SkyOdin said:
I would recommend against DQ8 for two reasons: 1) the very beginning of the game is unusually hard compared to many other RPGs, particularly other Dragon Quest games. I died to the first boss in the cave on my first try, and I was no amateur RPG player at that point. The boss on the ship can also be a surprisingly tough road block. If you are used to RPGs and know how to use your abilities and resources well, it is a great game, but for a true beginner, I think the start can be hard.

2) It is really easy to ruin your party if you don't know what you are doing with your ability point distribution, and there is no way to fix it without restarting the game. It takes a certain degree of forewarning to how many points you will actually get and what the benefits of the various skill trees are to really enjoy the system, I think. In comparison, Dragon Quest IX is more beginner friendly, I believe.
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Thinking again on my experience with DQ8, I have to admit that it was similar to yours, especially point 1. I also wasn't a newcomer to JRPGs when I got to DQ8, but that first section was kind of tough, and the ship boss kicked my ass a few times. It would have been nice if the game let you use Jessica before the ship instead of right after so you at least had another body to soak up hits, but that's not the case. I'm still hesitant to unrecommend DQ8 though because the games are essentially the quintessential RPGs, but most of the DQ games nowadays are found on Nintendo consoles, except DQV (which would require a certain amount of effort to play on a Sony console) and DQVII (which also isn't the easiest game in the world to obtain).
For Action RPGs, you really can't go wrong with Ys. Oath in Felghana is a blast to play, short, and the difficulty settings gives it some nice replay value.

Tales of the Abyss/Graces/Symphonia etc. is worth considering if you want a more traditional style JRPG story but with an action battle system. Ys games are fun, but not story or even arguably character heavy, and Tales usually places a more equal balance on all fronts. It is more anime than most of my choices though, so pick carefully if you go with that route.

While there's other great "My 1st JRPG"s on other systems (DQV, Earthbound, and Mother 3 stand out to me), there's absolutely no need for you to buy another system just to try those out unless you see something that looks awesome to you, especially since you have already have a PS2. PS1 and PS2 were monsters when it came to these sorts of games, so you should have plenty to choose from both on that and for your Vita.
 
FFX is amazing. P4 Golden is good. the intro is a bit long, so only pick that if you can endure that.

and don't pick easy difficulty, or you'll learn nothing about the genre and stay at beginner level forever.

for more action play Ys. they're all good.
 
FFX is a really easy game, with the exception of two or three bosses. The sphere grid, which I never liked, isn't terrible. And everything is streamlined from the early RPGs. It's a safe 20-25 hour rpg for someone. It also just got a remaster so there's that too.
 
I'll probably get some grief for this, but you should grab Lunar: Silver Star Harmony for the PSP/Vita. It's a PSP game but it's totally playable on the Vita, and most importantly it's the perfect game for beginners. And while I agree there are better versions of the game out there, this one isn't bad at all. I really enjoyed it. And it's only $15 on PSN.
 
For those doubting Persona 4 Golden, I had usually stuck to mostly the big mainstream AAA games and it was my first JRPG (besides Fire Emblem which I had played for a lot of years). Never had any interest in anime until I played it, and it was perfect, getting me into the genre. Trust all of us when we say this game will change the way you look at things.
 
So guys, I downloaded Chrono Trigger last night (and it just went on sale, FML). And I still plan on getting P4G (physical), even though it just went on sale as well.

Are there other games I should look into getting from the PSN sale going on right now? Muramasa looks interesting to me (holy shit that art).

Also, is there anything I can do to get Sony to reimburse me a bit now that Chrono Trigger went on sale? I literally bought it late last night. Thanks
 
Even though it's universally panned, isn't Beyond the Beyond the very definition of an RPG for beginners? At least in terms of what's available to play on PS3 (would have to find a physical copy).
 
Cudder said:
So guys, I downloaded Chrono Trigger last night (and it just went on sale, FML). And I still plan on getting P4G (physical), even though it just went on sale as well.

Are there other games I should look into getting from the PSN sale going on right now? Muramasa looks interesting to me (holy shit that art).
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Is Grandia on sale?
 
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